Teicher:Prodded by Andy Reid, Chiefs QB Alex Smith learning to be more aggressive

Prodded by Andy Reid, Chiefs QB Alex Smith learning to be more aggressive
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
One of the qualities the Chiefs like in new quarterback Alex Smith is his recent history with few turnovers. Smith threw just 10 interceptions in his last 25 games for the San Francisco 49ers, a stat that looks extremely pretty in Kansas City after Chiefs quarterbacks committed 27 turnovers last season.

Smith’s low turnover rate was due at least in part by his reluctance to throw the ball down the field. He was referred to by frustrated 49ers fans as Captain Checkdown for his habit of throwing shorter patterns to receivers for shorter gains.

Smith is in the process of being reprogrammed by Andy Reid, his new coach. Reid doesn’t want to turn Smith into a turnover machine but wants him to be more aggressive, particularly during offseason practice.

“You want to get a feel for the offense now, particularly when you’re new at it (and) if there are close throws, challenge it, see what you can get away with,” Reid said. “If it ends up being an interception, OK, it’s an interception. You learn from it. These are smart guys so they learn from it and once they get into the season, they’re not experimenting with it on game day and they know what they can get away with and know what they can’t.

“It’s a new offense. I would tell any quarterback that comes in new that that’s what you need to do. I’ve told them all that. Go ahead and take your shots and see what you can get away with, within reason. But if it’s a close throw, there are going to be a few of those in the National Football League on game day so you need to know what you can get away with on each route.”

Smith and the other Chiefs quarterbacks were rewarded with several long completions in Wednesday’s practice. Smith had three such plays, including two to Jon Baldwin, while Tyler Bray and Ricky Stanzi had one apiece.

Wednesday’s barrage of big passing plays isn’t necessarily an indication the deep ball is back in the Chiefs’ offense. But since such plays have been scarce for the Chiefs in each of the past two seasons, they’re taking it as an encouraging sign.

“We’re just kind of continuing to press to see what we can do … finding out what we’re capable of,” Smith said. “You’ve got to find that out at some point. This is what the practice field is for.”

Smith was the NFL’s highest-rated passer last season before he was injured, missed a start and then replaced by Colin Kaepernick as San Francisco’s starting quarterback. Smith was completing more than 70 percent of his passes, a high rate, and had just five interceptions.

Still, he had just 30 touchdown passes in his final 25 starts for the 49ers. While that’s a good number as a ratio with his 10 interceptions, it still represents a shortage of big plays.

Smith won’t turn into a mad bomber overnight, if he ever does.

“You want to stay aggressive,” Smith said. “But in the end I’m always trying to make the right read and throw where the defense is telling me to throw. You don’t come out here and predetermine anything, like ‘Oh, I’m going to chuck it deep on this play.’ I’m constantly trying to just trust my eyes and what I’m seeing out there, trust my reads and what I’ve prepared for and then come out here and throw good balls.”

For his part, Reid might be OK with that. But for now, when an interception costs the Chiefs nothing, he would prefer Smith be more of a gambler.

“Everybody is all on board (with Smith),” Reid said. “He’s a good football player. He’s showing that (along with) good leadership. I’m asking him to do a ton of things. He’s handling it. We’ve had an interception here or there but that’s all part of this thing. You’ve got to find out about the offense and you can’t do it with your hands in your pocket. You’ve got to go out and try things and experiment. That’s what he’s doing now.

“It’s just good stuff. He’s staying aggressive with the ball, and I appreciate that.”

The final offseason practice is today. The Chiefs won’t get together again as a group until training camp begins in July at Missouri Western State University.

Smith indicated he may try to throw to some Chiefs receivers during their downtime in an effort to stay sharp.

“We’re heads and shoulder above where we were a couple of months ago,” he said. “But that’s a never-ending thing. I don’t think it’s something like, ‘We’ve got a good feel for each other so we don’t need to work anymore.’ You’re constantly working at it. This is our job, this is our craft. Every single day, it’s coming out here and pushing to get better.”

So he was better than Brodie Croyle, Casey Printers, Tyler Thigpen and James Killian?

Well.... yeah.. but that doesn't mean he'd start on 29 other teams in the league in any given season.

If only Casey Printers could get the direct snap from center down maybe? Just maybe he would have worked out ok? Probably not but it was the biggest knock on the guy during preseason and if you couldn't trust him from not fumbling a snap during a game well you just couldn't trust the guy. Can't make chicken salad out of chicken shit when you fumble the snap from the center.

Good times.

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Adopt a Chief: I adopt Eric Murray
Get after it son

I still don't understand how the 49ers offensive line gets so much love and yet their QB gets sacked so much.

Team success leads people to think the 49ers are strong all over. In a way, they are. Their pass protection hasn't been all that good, though. It is true that Alex occasionally takes a sack rather than force a throw. Sometimes, this is the wise thing to do.. sometimes, not so much. It can be frustrating to the casual fan that has no regard for consequences. (but with our team, better to punt than to force a pick six if no one is open, and the score doesn't demand such a risk)

Then Kaepernick comes in... and while he can't read defenses as well as Smith yet, he is a freak when it comes to evading a near sack. So a guy like Kaep can make OL pass pro look much better than it truly is.

Even the run blocking gets a bit overrated at times. There were lots of 3rd and short conversions that failed on run attempts too... where we added extra heavies that only managed to clog up our RB lanes. (and of course, the QB takes the blame for those conversions too, lolz!)

Well, I think it's teaching an old dog new tricks, but after a few snarky comments about Alex Smith, I'm moving forward feeling pretty good about the direction of the franchise.

This tells me three vital things about this new regime:

1. They don't think Alex Smith of the past two years is good enough. He has to improve.
2. If he doesn't improve, then he will be replaced. You don't come out in public saying "This guy has to get better at X," and when he doesn't say, "Just kidding. He's great."
3. Andy Reid hasn't lost the attack nature that lead him to be the first coach calling 40 pass plays a game. Remember in 2005 when we would see the Philly box scores and say "Dude! You can't win throwing it that much"? Well, turns out he was right and hasn't lost the desire to put pressure on the defense.

These three inferences lead me to believe that these QBs have a short leash and the Chiefs are going to be finding a new solution in the next offseason.

Alex Smith SHOULD play his part beautifully - veteran leader who will help shepherd this team out of the dregs, allowing young talent to develop while having a fighting chance at the playoffs. Then, after getting injured or proving he just doesn't have the horses for a championship, he will be replaced by a high draft pick.

My best guess, my absolute best guess (or maybe just deepest hope), is that KC will move on a QB in the first next year and let him sit for a year behind Smith. And that will be just fine with me. I don't care if he won't contribute in time for Tamba Hali to still be in his prime. I'll take Hali and Charles retiring TODAY if it means getting our franchise QB.

Well, I think it's teaching an old dog new tricks, but after a few snarky comments about Alex Smith, I'm moving forward feeling pretty good about the direction of the franchise.

This tells me three vital things about this new regime:

1. They don't think Alex Smith of the past two years is good enough. He has to improve.
2. If he doesn't improve, then he will be replaced. You don't come out in public saying "This guy has to get better at X," and when he doesn't say, "Just kidding. He's great."
3. Andy Reid hasn't lost the attack nature that lead him to be the first coach calling 40 pass plays a game. Remember in 2005 when we would see the Philly box scores and say "Dude! You can't win throwing it that much"? Well, turns out he was right and hasn't lost the desire to put pressure on the defense.

These three inferences lead me to believe that these QBs have a short leash and the Chiefs are going to be finding a new solution in the next offseason.

Alex Smith SHOULD play his part beautifully - veteran leader who will help shepherd this team out of the dregs, allowing young talent to develop while having a fighting chance at the playoffs. Then, after getting injured or proving he just doesn't have the horses for a championship, he will be replaced by a high draft pick.

My best guess, my absolute best guess (or maybe just deepest hope), is that KC will move on a QB in the first next year and let him sit for a year behind Smith. And that will be just fine with me. I don't care if he won't contribute in time for Tamba Hali to still be in his prime. I'll take Hali and Charles retiring TODAY if it means getting our franchise QB.

this broke dick doesnt have the shoulder or arm strength to be trying to force passes into tight windows, and hes smart enough to know it hence his short-medium passes at a very high percentage and low interceptions.

Giving him that green light and encouraging him to force it is only going to lead to more sacks, and I have no idea how this broke dick can take more sacks than he already currently has the past few seasons, but apparently we will see this season

"You’ve got to find out about the offense and you can’t do it with your hands in your pocket. You’ve got to go out and try things and experiment. That’s what he’s doing now"

All they are doing is testing the offense and seeing what they are capable of. There is 8 years of tape that show just exactly what Smith is, and isn't. They aren't going to force him to try to be Favre.

"You’ve got to find out about the offense and you can’t do it with your hands in your pocket. You’ve got to go out and try things and experiment. That’s what he’s doing now"

All they are doing is testing the offense and seeing what they are capable of. There is 8 years of tape that show just exactly what Smith is, and isn't. They aren't going to force him to try to be Favre.

we don't agree about much but i believe you're right.

In practice you should see how much you can do and then start pulling back on what you can't do.

If you don't shoot for the moon then you will never have any idea of your potential until your back is against the wall and you have no choice.

Marty did this all the time ... all year long on the basics.

Then once he got into the playoffs and the basics weren't good enough we had to try to do stuff we hadn't been practicing.